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Strategy likely today to counter repression: Stalin

By Our Special Correspondent

CUDDALORE APRIL 22 . The DMK youth wing leader, M.K. Stalin, today hinted at Wednesday's Opposition meeting evolving a strategy to resist the AIADMK regime's "repressive measures", particularly against the backdrop of the Nakkheeran editor, R.R. Gopal's claim that he was being made a "scapegoat by the Government with intent to arrest the party president, M. Karunanidhi, the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, and the filmstar, Rajnikant, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act."

"Anything might happen under this rule and there was nothing to be surprised or wonderstruck," Mr. Stalin said when he was asked about Mr. Gopal's submission before the POTA court yesterday.

Shortly before leaving for Madurai on conditional bail, Mr. Stalin, who emerged from the central prison here, told presspersons that the DMK's next course would depend on the outcome of the meeting. The DMK activists, particularly the youth wing, were prepared to launch intensified agitations, if the party leadership directed them to do so.

Mr. Stalin drew a parallel between his detention in the Cuddalore prison for espousing the cause of students of the Queen Mary's College, Chennai, and the solitary confinement of Mr. Karunanidhi in the Palayamkottai central prison in 1965 for backing the anti-Hindi agitation spearheaded by students then.

When a reporter asked him whether his stay at Madurai would pave the way for frequent interaction with his brother, M.K. Azhagiri, he quipped, "your wish is my wish."

Mr. Stalin flayed the police for lathicharging DMK activists, who had gathered near the magistrate's court at Saidapet, Chennai, yesterday. Though the arrested DMK activists were given `A' class in the prison, not even basic amenities were provided, thanks to ``government instructions'', he alleged.

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